Poultry News

USDA Keeps COOL; Complies with WTO Ruling

24 May 2013

US - The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a final rule governing Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) to meet compliance requirements set forth by a recent World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling.

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued a statement following the decision:

“We are very pleased that the USDA has decided to stand strong and keep COOL. The decision to bring the law into compliance with the WTO’s ruling is a win-win situation for all interested parties.

“We further applaud the administration for deciding to take a proactive approach in bringing COOL into compliance by providing more information on the origins of our food, instead of simply watering down the process.

“NFU has been a long time supporter of COOL and we will continue to vigorously support it. Consumers want and have the right to know where their food comes from.”

USDA’s final rule will require labels for certain foods, particularly muscle cuts of meat, to include the countries in which the animal was born, raised and slaughtered. Legal analysis has found that this will satisfy WTO’s requirements and meets the compliance deadline of 23 May 2013.